


Love is Strange

by TaleasOldasTimeandSpace



Series: Yet Another Gratuitously Fluffy Darcyland Soulmate AU [14]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Balrog the Bilgesnipe, Darcyland, F/M, Fluff, SHIP DARCY WITH ALL THE THINGS, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, This Is Absolute Crack, but so is everything i write, doctor strange's sentient cape, i saw one teaser for it and i ran with it, one for the random crackship bin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-05
Updated: 2016-11-05
Packaged: 2018-08-29 04:18:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8475028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaleasOldasTimeandSpace/pseuds/TaleasOldasTimeandSpace
Summary: Darcy's seen a lot.  Random guys popping out of thin air?  Not even the weirdest situation she's ever been in.





	

**Author's Note:**

> In honour of the Doctor Strange movie, and brought to you in part by the obscene amounts of Sherlloly fics I've been reading recently.
> 
> It is entirely possible - even probable - that the good doctor is completely OOC. I've only seen him in a couple of the comics, so this is entirely based on the trailers for the movie.
> 
> Also, there's a special surprise at the end for my lovely little bilgesnipes!

Darcy liked to think her Words had prepared her in some small way for the extreme weirdness of her life.  True, nothing could have completely prepared her for meeting Actual Alien Thor, or for running for her life from a fire-breathing deathbot.  They were, however, enough to inspire her to buy her buy her first taser, which she would eventually use to zap Actual Alien Thor (or as he liked to tell it, ‘bested him with his own element’).  That counted as a win in her book.

So she was only mildly startled when a shimmering, golden circle appeared in the air in front of her and a man popped out.  He glanced around, caught sight of Darcy, and did some weird swirly motion with his hands that cause two mini golden circles to materialize over them before striking a ninja pose.  She cocked an eyebrow.  His theatrics could give Thor a run for his money, and that was saying something.

When she didn’t run away screaming or swoon at his feet or whatever it was he expected of her, he relaxed his stance slightly and cleared his throat _.  ‘I don’t want to alarm you, miss, but there’s a creature behind you that looks like the unholy offspring of a dragon and a moose.  If you wouldn’t mind stepping aside, I’ll deal with it before it eats us.’_

Well now, that explained a lot.  _And_ she realized he was probably waving those circles at Balrog, not her.

Rather than answer, she crossed her arms and stared at him.  it was obvious her utter lack of response was unnerving, and she took a perverse glee in watching him get more and more twitchy, his eyes darting between her and the bilgesnipe behind her.  She waited until he huffed an impatient sigh—probably getting ready to tell her off for being an idiot with no sense of self preservation.  Jumping in before he could speak, she remarked, _‘Dude!  Has anyone ever told you you look like Sherlock?  Accent’s a bit of a letdown.  The lightshow almost makes up for it, though.’_

He straightened up and dropped his hands, the glowy circle thingies dissipating instantly.  ‘Really?  A man steps out of a hole in the air and tells you there’s a monster behind you, and _that’s_ what you focus on?’

She shrugged.  ‘The special effects are cool and all, but I’ve seen better.  No offense,’ she added as his shoulders slumped, ‘but after surviving two and a half alien invasions’ because the deathbot _totally_ counted ‘it’s hard to get worked up about guys with Portal gun powers, even if he _is_ my soulmate.’

He looked ridiculously dejected, and she wondered if maybe she’d been just a little too blunt.  But then the collar of his cape patted his cheek comfortingly, and all thoughts of hurt feelings and comforting said feelings flew from her head.  ‘No way!  Is your cape alive?  That is so cool!  Can I pet it?’  She held out a hand for it to sniff, or whatever it was semi-sentient outerwear did to get to know someone.

He looked torn between being miffed that she was more impressed by his cape than by him and amused that she was more impressed by his cape than by him.  A corner of the cape wrapped around her hand, and the amusement won.  As she made friends with his pet, she noticed his eyes sliding over her shoulder to hers.

‘Look, I’m glad we’re bonding and all that, but there’s still the matter of the hellbeast behind you.  It’s remarkable it hasn’t attacked yet.’

Darcy gave the cape a last pat and walked over to kneel beside Balrog and wrap her arms around his neck.  ‘How about we agree that you stop insulting my Yukon Elk Hound, and I pretend to be impressed by your magical mystery abilities?’

He blinked.  ‘Are you telling me that… _that_ is what passes for dogs in this reality?!’ he demanded, waving an accusing hand at Balrog.  Balrog grinned smugly back at him.

She opened her mouth, ready to tell him _don’t be ridiculous, Balrog is a bilgesnipe from Asgard, not a dog!_  When an evil, _evil_ voice in her head—one that sounded suspiciously like Clint—whispered that it would be fun to see how long she could keep him convinced Balrog was in fact a dog.  _For Science!_ added another voice.  This one sounded like Jane in the middle of a Science! bender.  Closing her mouth, she did some rapid calculations that would make Jane proud.  It was doable.  Clint would be on board for sure—it was practically his idea, after all!—and Steve ‘Captain Troll’ Rogers would be happy to help.  Tony was always willing to mess with newcomers, Jane could convince Thor to at least keep his mouth shut, and Bucky and Nat would just smirk—Bucky while shaking his head, and Nat with a nod of approval.  And Bruce?  Well, if he surfaced from his lab long enough to notice what was going on, he’d probably just roll his eyes and go straight back to said lab.  Yes, she knew her team, and they would always have her back.

So she cocked her head and asked innocently, ‘Why?  What do dogs look like where you’re from?’  Balrog chortled, and she smacked him lightly on the neck.

Her soulmate squeezed his eyes shut, and she ruthlessly squashed the niggling guilt at deceiving him.  it was for his own good!  Dude _seriously_ needed lighten up!  He exhaled slowly and opened his eyes.  ‘Is there anything else that I should know about?’

‘Do they have Avengers where you’re from?’

‘Emma Peel and John Steed or superheroes?’ he asked, deadpan.

Her eyes widened, and he smirked.  ‘My dear sir, I think we’re going to get along just fine.’  He held out a hand, and she let him pull her to her feet.  ‘So what do I call you, anyway?  Mr. Mystic?’

‘It’s Strange, actually.’

She shot a pointed look at his outfit.  It was…eccentric, to say the least.  Even compared to the Avengers.  ‘Well, obviously.  But what’s your name?’

His smirk widened to a grin.  ‘I’m afraid that’s it.  Doctor Stephen Strange.  And you?’

‘Darcy Lewis, Scientist Wrangler and honourary Avengers Den Mother.’  She bobbed a curtsy.

‘Enchanted.’  He pressed a kiss to the back of the hand he still held, and despite herself, she felt her toes curl.  Not that she would admit that to anyone.  Maybe Balrog.  She could trust him not to spill his guts.

She took refuge in snark.  ‘Not gonna lie, I always hoped that any doctor that appeared out of thin air and took my hand would be a little more…timelord.  You’re lucky you’re cute.’

‘I try.  So, what now?’

She tapped her chin thoughtfully.  ‘Now I think it’s time for you to meet the family.’

He froze, looking more nervous than when he thought Balrog was an interdimensional abomination.  ‘What, already?’

‘Yeah.  Remember the Avengers?  I’ve got a whole bunch of weird pseudo-relatives who are going to love meeting you.  Lemme give them a heads-up.’  She gently tugged her hand free and pulled out her phone, shooting a quick message to the team.

 **Avengers Whisperer:** _Bringing my soulmate to the Tower.  He’s under the impression that Balrog is an accurate representation of dogs.  Try not to dissuade him._

A few seconds later, her phone wheezed like the TARDIS.  Sparing a final sigh that her doctor wasn’t _the_ Doctor, she read the replies.

 **Legolas:**   _Sounds like fun ;D  Do you think Lucky would be able to go undercover if I put the leftover Christmas antlers on him?_

 **Skynet:** _What rock has he been living under that he doesn’t know what a dog looks like?!_

 **Avengers Whisperer:** _Don’t think it’s a rock so much as an alternate dimension, Tony.  You’ll see when we get there.  And no, Clint, novelty antlers ain’t gonna cut it._

Sticking her phone back in her pocket, she turned to Stephen.  ‘Shall we?’

He tugged his cape away from Balrog, who was sniffing it curiously while it played with his antlers.  Apparently their respective sidekicks would get along.  Good to know.  In a move worthy of Fandral, he swirled his cape behind him and offered her his arm.  ‘Lead the way.’

She grinned and tucked her arm through his.  This was going to be fun.

 

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> It was a month before Balrog's cover was blown. Darcy thought they could have gone longer, but Scott came by unexpectedly, took one look at Balrog, shrieked, and fainted. Stephen handled the whole thing surprisingly well. He just offered to show her the worlds. Darcy agreed, though judging by his slightly-creepy smile, she suspected that he didn't mean via a magic carpet ride.
> 
> She was correct. Alternate dimensions are trippy.
> 
> Darcy has text names for all the Avengers. Tony argues that Skynet would be more appropriate for JARVIS, but Darcy maintains that it's easier than writing The Creator of Skynet. And anyway, it's her phone. So there.
> 
> I'll be seeing Doctor Strange tomorrow, and then I'll see just how off my characterization is. But I wanted to get this posted first.
> 
> As always, if you have a prompt, you can leave it in the comments below, or [shoot the breeze](https://taleasoldastime-andspace.tumblr.com/ask) on my tumblr. No smut, slash, or polyships, please and thanks.
> 
> Namarie, my little bilgesnipes!


End file.
